Forgiveness
by TheAndromedaFangirl
Summary: Severus wakes up in the afterlife. Lily there to greet him. What would she even think of him.


" _Look...at...me," Severus pleaded and Harry looked into his dark eyes, sparkling with emotion. And then it began to vanish. His eyes grew duller and his face paler. Until the life behind his eyes vanished forever, the hand holding harry thudded to the floor and the one clutched tightly in Harry's fell limp._

 _Harry bent his head down leaning on the now lifeless potions master lying before him. Tears flowed freely from his eyes. A few moments later, Harry felt two tender hands touch his back. He slowly pulled himself up, the vial containing Snape's memory clutched tightly in his left hand. He tucked it into his pocket and went to leave._

 _"Wait," Hermione whispered as she turned and knelt before Snape. Gently she took her fingers, closed his eyes and folded his hands over his chest. "It's the least i can do," she said as she joined Harry and Ron._

Severus blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light. He was lying down. Was he in St Mungo's? No, he was dead. His vision began to clear.

"Severus."

He looked for the source of the voice. He knew that voice. He looked up as his vision became clear. Looking down at him with her beautiful green eyes - was Lily. She was kneeling at his head, clutching his right hand. "Lily," he muttered.

"It's me. I'm here Severus." She smiled. He sat up immediately, scrambling to his feet.

"Lily," he whispered again as if didn't actually believe it was her.

"You're here?"

"Oh course I'm here silly. Couldn't let you wake up in the afterlife alone."

Severus found himself speechless. For years he wished he could talk to Lily one last time. To apologise, beg for forgiveness, anything. Now she was here in front of him and nothing came out of his mouth.

He felt his cheeks warm and wet, he'd started crying.

"You're here." He managed to say before collapsing on her shoulder sobbing. He attempted to apologise many times, beg for forgiveness. But he couldn't stop crying to speak. Lily held him as he cried. Whispering softly.

"It's okay, i'm here, everything's alright." And she held him, for what could have been hours as he poured his heart out to her.

"Please, please, forgive me."

"I do."

"I've done horrible things, i know." He continued not registering her reply.

"It doesn't matter now."

"I should never have called you that horrible, horrible word. I'm so sorry."

"I know."

"I...how can you even look at me after what I've done."

"I can."

"I'm a monster."

"No you're not."

"I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"It doesn't matter."

"I don't deserve you."

"Severus!" She pressed a finger to his lips, he immediately stopped rambling. Lily smiled and took his hands in hers. "It doesn't matter if you don't believe you deserve forgiveness, or you don't deserve me, or whatever, I forgive you."

Severus' mouth dropped open. "You...forgive...me?"

"Yes, I forgive you. For everything. Every single thing." He started to cry again."Except maybe for that haircut you got in fourth year, that was terrible." She laughed and he laughed and she pulled him into a tight hug.

He cried, tears of joy, as he once again could hold the person dearest to him. Lily laughed and looked him in the eye.

"Everything is forgiven." And they hugged. Sometime later, for what could have been hours, he felt a hand on his back. He let go of Lily and turned, exoecting to see Albus, instead it was James Potter. Severus immediately stepped back.

"I'm not going to hurt you."James said immediately, seeing Severus take a defensive stance.

"And how can I trust you?" He asked quietly.

"Easy, Sev," Lily said. "He isn't going to hurt you. Nothing can hurt you now." Severus slowly relaxed.

"I'll leave you two alone then." He went to move but both James and Lily grabbed his arm.

"No, he wants to talk to you."

"To me? What for?" He looked to James.

James took a step closer to him.

"I wanted to thank you. For everything."

"You died because of me."

"No we died because of peter, you got us safe."

Severus was speechless once again. James Potter was thanking him. Thanking him.

"You dedicated the rest of your life to protecting our son. Harry's alive because of you."

As if suddenly remembering Harry's existince he shouted, "Harry! Is he alright, did he survive?"

"It's alright, calm down, he talked to Dumbledore about an hour ago."

"An hour ago?"

"They won. Voldemort is dead. Harry's alive. Because of you." Severus started to tear up again.

"They won. He survived." He whispered.

"Because of you." James stated with such sincerity that he was starting to believe him. James looked at him and smiled, then stepped foward and higged him. He stifined for a moment before returning the hig.

After a few moments Lily laughed and joined on the hug too. And Severus smiled. For the first time in years, he smiled.


End file.
